Alabama (7-0) vs. Texas A&M (6-0) Game Preview

Broadcast

A&M is the exact type of balanced and solid team that Alabama hasn’t had to deal with yet.

USC is playing better, but it was hardly ready to rumble to start the season. Ole Miss is one-dimensional, Arkansas doesn’t have the steady defense, and Tennessee was a hot mess with injuries last week. Give Alabama credit for being Alabama and taking control in all of those games, but A&M has been steady so far and doing a little of everything right.

The offense has generated a terrific balance, with Trevor Knight taking off when needed and Trayveon Williams cranking up the ground game, while the passing attack has been just productive enough, even if it’s not always efficient. This is a resilient team that’s now rested enough to time to come up with a different sort of game plan for the Crimson Tide – expect the offense to have a spring in its step.

But can the Aggies stop the Crimson Tide offense? Daeshon Hall and Myles Garrett lead a devastating D that’s doing an even better job than Alabama at getting behind the line.

Jalen Hurts was able to screw up Tennessee by getting past the aggressive front and making things happen when everything broke down, but the A&M linebackers – again, with time to prepare – should be able to keep him from taking off. However …

Why Alabama Will Win

Get ready for Hurts to turn into Tom Brady.

The A&M defense might be playing far better than it’s been in its recent past, but it’s been getting hit hard in SEC play against everyone who tries throwing the ball, and that includes South Carolina, allowing well over a 60% completion rate over the last four games.

Hurts has thrown a pick in each of the last two games, but he’s also been sharp with defenses freaking out about No. 2 taking off – he’s connecting on 64% of his throws taking what the defenses are giving to him. And again, as he showed against Tennessee, he’s more than fine making things happen when the play breaks down. The Aggies can’t attack without having a Plan B once Hurts gets past the line.

But how much does the Alabama offense have to score? The defense is more than holding up its end of the bargain with 11 touchdowns coming from the other side of the ball and the special teams. Teams turning the ball over against the Alabama D are getting hit and hit hard.

As solid and good as A&M has been, it’s not stingy enough with the ball giving it was two or more times in every game but the win over Auburn and 11 times on the year. The Crimson Tide offense doesn’t need any more help, but expect the defense generate at least two big takeaways.

What’s Going To Happen?

A&M will give Alabama one of its toughest games yet, but it’ll break over in the fourth quarter.

Texas A&M will look the part and will prove that the hot start isn’t a fluke, with the running game working better than most Tide fans might like, and Knight coming up with an effective, mistake-free day for three quarters. He won’t go 2014 Sugar Bowl on the Tide D, but his all-around playmaking ability will be a big problem.

Alabama will finally start to take control in its final few drives, going on a few pounding, time-crunching scoring marches with the offensive line taking over. Knight will press late, get picked off, and the Tide will survive and move on into their off-week.